Middle-class Californians counting on the federal health care overhaul to lower their insurance premiums are in for a double-digit shock next year, a new state study shows. People or families who buy insurance for themselves could see rate increases of up to 30 percent. Continue Readi

Standards ensuring that consumers have access to sufficient networks of health care professionals on federally operated health insurance exchanges need to be tightened, the American Medical Association wrote in a March 15 letter to the Obama administration. Continue Reading… &nb

Dover Corp. doesn’t mess around with wellness. When leaders at the manufacturing company decided a few years ago to implement a common wellness program across each of its operating companies – more than 30 companies spread across almost 100 U.S. locations – they had

“Health care reform is overrated,” a broker responded flippantly to his (now former) employer-client after the employer initiated the call. “I’ll email you a one-page cheat sheet.” The client had reached out to his broker following a two-hour presentation

For plan sponsors, 2013 is a year of crossing Ts and dotting Is on PPACA compliance for their health care plans and strategizing for next year, when the employer mandate and public exchanges go into effect. The health care reform law has many moving parts and a great deal of regulatio

Last November, the departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury released proposed regulations addressing the provisions regarding employer-sponsored wellness programs under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The proposed regulations are effective for plan

More American workers recognize the rewards of participating in workplace wellness programs, according to the latest survey from Principal Financial. Sixty-two percent of workers, up from 55% in 2011, believe workplace wellness activities are successful in improving health and reducin

Ignorance will not be bliss come October when state and federal exchanges begin enrollment for individuals and small group employees. While brokers are experiencing anxiety about their role in such exchanges, employees of all types may be confused about their options. Continue Reading

Employers hoping to cut health care costs look first toward low-hanging fruit, such as encouraging employees to reduce or eliminate unhealthy behaviors – and perhaps none is more preventable than smoking. Certainly few are more expensive – a smoker costs a company $12,000

Smaller health care providers, as well as many of the firms that work with all health care providers, are struggling to comply with federal data security rules that take effect soon. But even larger health care providers would do well to examine their contracts with the firms with whi